Carbureter



Patented Apr. 4, |899.

G. W. BENEDICT.

No. V62mm.

CA B B U R E T E R (Application med June 10, 1897.)

(Nn Model.)

TN: uomus wens co.. mom-uma.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNrrED STATES PATE-NT OFFICE.

GEORGE WV. BENEDICT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

CARBURETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,198, dated April 4,1899.

Application filed June 10, 1897. Serial No. 640,142. (No model.)

incandescent gas-machines, the object being to provide an apparatuswhich will manufacture gas from hydrocarbon at a minimum eX- pense tothe consumer, at the same time affording perfect safety from explosionand freedom from oifensive odors; and the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will behereinafter described, andpointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing is a view in' elevation, partly in section, vofmy improved ma-A chine.

A represents a base, and 1 a stand-pipe adapted to contain water up to agiven point, as indicated by the numeral 2. This standpipe is enlargedat a convenient point to form the chamber 3. In this chamber an oil-tank4 is located. This tank is sufficiently lessin size than the chamber 3,in which it is located, to leave a space all around it for thecirculation of water to keep the contents of the tank perfectly cool atall times and avoid all danger of explosions. The tank is centered byspacing-blocks or similar means 5 5, located above and below it, and thetank is filled through oil-filler 6. A pipe 7, having aslightly-enlarged or funnel-shaped mouth 8, leads downward from thebottom-of the oil-tank, and the glass gage 9 forms a continuation ofthis pipe, the design of the gage being of course to indicate to the eyethe level of the oil in the tank. Feed-pipe 10 leads from a pointpreferably just inside of the mouth 8 of the gage upward through thetank and chamber in which the latter is located. The object of thisarrangement is to provide for absolutely draining out the last particleof oil should it be desired to do so or should occasion require it. Itvwill be seen that when air-pressure is removed from the oil-supply anyoil which might be in the pipe 10 or in the superheater above it willflow into the tank, and no oil will remain in said pipe above the levelof oil in the tank.

At the upper end of the feed-pipe the superheater 12 is located,andabove this the vapor-generator 13 is so disposed as to receive vaporfrom the oil contained in the superheater 12. Burner 14 surrounds theupper end of the superheater just below the generator 13, and theneedle-valve 15 in the pipe leading down from the generator is directedtoward this burner, and another needle-valve 16 also communicates withthe generator and is located in the distribution-pipe.

A pipe 17 leads upward from a point at or near the upper end of theoil-tank, and it is furnished with two branches 18 and 19, branch 1Sleading in the direction of the generator and superheater andterminating with a needle-valve 20, having an air-inlet a short distancebelow the generator and upper end of the superheater, and the otherbranch 19 eX- tending downward from the eXtreme upper end of pipe 17 andextending into the generator. This branch 19 is equipped with a stopcock21 for controlling the carbureted air therein. Wicking 22 is placedloosely for about ten inches in pipe 17 and coiled around the bottom ofthe oil-tank. This wicking ab; sorbs oil and by capillary attractionconducts it up into the pipe, so that air forced through the oil in thetank and wicking be- .comes thoroughly carb ureted, the air-pressurebeing created by means of devices now to be described and beingdischarged with sufficient force to agitato the oil.

The numeral 25 indicates the air-supply pipe. It leads downward from apoint at or near the upper end of the stand-pipe into the upper end ofthe oil-tank 4, where it preferably has a number of perforations, sothat the air will be discharged into the oil-tank in small jets andserve to keep the oil stirred, thus preventing stagnation. A hollowaircompressor 26 is placed over this pipe, and it extends down farenough so that the water contained in the stand-pipe forms a water seal.The compressor is furnished at its upper end with a Valve 27. Thiscompressor is weighted sufiiciently to give the required pressure to theoil, and so long as this pres- IOO e essaies sure continues a constantlevel of the oil is maintained in the superheater at the oil-level markat 2S. Vhen the air in the compressor has been exhausted, the compressorcan be merely raised and vacuum created is sufficient to open the valve27 automatically and cause a recharging with a fresh supply of air. Themoment the air-pressure is removed the oil recedcs from its level in thefeed-pipe tothe tank below. Then when pressure is restored the oil againrises to the point 2S indicated. At this point l desire to give emphasisto the fact that the apparatus is rendered non-explosive. It is made soby this complete submerging of the oil-tank. This provision againstexplosion is so complete that if a fire were built around the tank andthe oil were heated to produce all the expansion possible, say until itreaches sixteen hundred tim es its volume, which is the maximum theeffect would be that the vapor would rise in the air-compressor and liftit until its lower open end rises to a point within an inch or so of thesurface of the water, the vapor in an effort to escape below the loweredge of the air-compressor would come into contact with the water andimmediately condense, being merely vapor and not a fixed gas, and returnto its original state-that is, oil. By way of experiment I haverepeatedly covered the machine with oil from top to bottom and ignitedit to demonstrate this fact.

The operation is as follows: Branch pipe 1S is always filled withcarburized air under pressure on account of the constantly-appliedair-pressure from the air-compressor. The valve 2O is opened and a lightis applied to the end thereof. This light supplies the initial heat tothe generator and vaporizes oil in the superheater, the vapor enteringthe generator. When the generator shall have been suiiiciently heated,which only requires about two minutes time, the supply from pipe 18 willbe shut off and valve 15 opened to supply the burner 14 with vapor fromthe generator, which vapor will burn in saidv burner all around the topof the superheater, which furnishes the required heat to the superheaterand generator. By this provision oil never has to be burned, asheretofore, to generate heat, thus avoiding the unpleasant odor a1- waysincident to burning hydrocarbons.

Should gas be required in the distributionpipe a, valve 16 is opened,and it may be mentioned in this connection that gas has been conductedaway over a hundred feet from the generator with perfect success. Theapparatus is so proportioned and the normal air-pressure is such thatthe pipe 17 is always supplied with air and oil mixed under pressure,approximately at a ratio of seventy-five to twenty-five. This will beapparent when it is remembered that the air entering the oiltank 4 isunder pressure and that it will find an exit through the pipe 17 andthrough the loose wicking 22 therein, the air leaving said pipe beingthus charged with hydrocarbon.

Therefore after gas is produced in the gcnerator the valve 21 is openedand the carbureted air allowed to enter sufficient to change the ratioto about seventy to thirty.

It is evident that slight changes might be made in the form andarrangement of the several parts 'described without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limitmyself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with an oil-supplytank, a generator and a feed-pipe leading from the oil-supply tank tothe generator, of a pipe communicating at one end with the saidoilsupply tank and conducting carbureted air directly therefrom to apoint in proximity to the generator for supplying fuel for the initialheat for the generator, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an oil-tank, a generator and a feed-pipe forconducting oil from the oil-tank to the generator, of a pipecommunicatingwith the upper portion of the oiltank and adapted todischarge in proximity to the generator, wicking adapted to be immersedin oil in the tank and projecting into said last-mentioned pipe.

3. The combination with an oil-tank, a generator and a feed-pipe forconducting oil from said tank to the generator, of a pipe communicatingwith the top of the tank, wicking adapted to be immersed in the oil inthe tank and extending into said pipe, two branches communicating at oneend with'said pipe, the other end of one branch terminating under thegenerator and the other end of the other pipe communicating with thegenerator, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with an oil-tank, a gellerator, a superheater, aburner surrounding the upper end of the superheater, and needie-valvesupplied from the generator and arranged to direct its discharge intothe burner, of a pipe leading from the tank and provided with absorbentmaterial therein, branch pipes leading from this pipe, one branchleading into the generator and the other terminating in proximity toitslower side, and means for creating a pressure in the several pipes. 5.The combination with a stand-pipe, of an oil-tank disposed between theends of said stand-pipe so as to be wholly surrounded by water therein,a generator disposed alongside said stand-pipe and a feed-pipesupporting the generator and communicating at one end therewith and attheother end directly with said oil-tank, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a stand-pipe having an enlarged chamber andadapted to contain water, of an oil-tank disposed within said enlargedchamber so as to be immersed in the water therein, a generator communi-ICO IIO

eating with said oil-tank, an air-compressor cooperating with saidstand-pipe and a valve ele for said compressor, constructed toautomatically open when the compressor is raised to receive more air,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a tank, a pipe leading from the bottom of thelatter, said pipe having an enlarged or funnel-shaped mouth, and a gageconnectedwith said pipe, of a feed-pipe leading from the tank at a pointwithin the mouth of the gage-pipe and a generator connected with theother end of the product-pipe.

8. In a gas-machine, the combination with a pipe having an enlargedchamber at its lower end and communicating therewith, Aof an oil-tankadapted to be submerged in water in said enlarged chamber, anair-compressor over the open upper end of said pipe, the open lower endof said compressor being adapted to be immersed in water in the pipe,whereby when the expansion in the compressorin consequence of heatreaches a given point the vapor will condense by its contact with thewater, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a gas-machine, of a reservoir, an oil-tank adaptedto be immersed in water in said reservoir, and an air-compressordisposed in said reservoir over the water therein and having its lowerend adapted to be immersed in the water in the reser- Voir,substantially as set forth.

10. In a gas-machine, the combination with an oil-reservoir, of threepipes leading directlyupward therefrom, one taking down air and anothertaking up air and oil together and the third conveying up the oil.

11. In a gas-machine, the combination with an oil-reservoir, a generatorand a feed-pipe connecting the reservoir to the generator, of anair-pipe discharging into said reservoir, and an air-compressorconstructed and adapted to operate automatically by gravity to force airthrough said air-pipe, substantially asset forth.

12. In a gas-machine, the combination with a stand-pipe, anoil-reservoir adapted to be submerged in water therein, and a generatorcommunicating with the oil-reservoir, of a pipe communicating with saidreservoir and adapted to discharge against the generator, anair-compressor coperating with the standpipe and a pipe communicating`at its upper end with the air-compressor and at its lower end with theoil-tank, substantially as set forth. r

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

GO. W. BENEDICT.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. FAY, BERNARD J. HAUSFELD.

